Fabricated structural member



Nov. 24, 1925 J. E. TONNELIER rmmcmmn STRUCTURAL MEMBER Filed April 8. 1924 gvii'nntoe Y r .w m WW wflww d m; L d M lflatented New. Edi, Mt

Jl'. EDMUND TUNNIELI'JER, OF FIT'IFBURGH, PENNFYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR ,TO "II'ONIE$ @6 IJMUG'HLIN WEEEEL CORPQRATION, 01F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A. UORPORA aion' or rnnnsanvninrn.

FABRICATEZD STRUCTURAL MEMBER.

application filed April a,

To all whom it may concern:

Be? it known that I, I-Emaonn 'Ionnn- LIER, a citizen of the United States, residlng at Pittsbur h, in the county of Allegheny 5 and State 0 Pennsylvania-have invented an Improvement in Fabricated Structural Members, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention aims to strengthen and improve rolled structural members or shapes of open web or trussed form, and to enable such members to be readily and economically 'fabricated and utilized for building and other purposes.

In the accompanying drawin s, wherein I have shown one embodiment 0 my invention for purposes ,of' illustration, Fig. 1 is a side viewof a trussed web I- beam such as is suitable for floor beams, roof trusses and purlins, bridge girders, and other-structural purposes, strengthened at the ends by bracing members;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sidev view of one enol of the beam shown in Fig. 1; r

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the same on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; J Fig. 4 is a top view of the end portion of the beam, Figs. 2, 3 and 4- being drawn to the same scale; and A Fig. 5' is a view similar to Fig. 3in part,- drawn to a larger scale and showing one manner of securing the bracing members by suitable clips. The invention may be applied to I-beams, channels, Z-sections, T-sections, l-I-sections, and other flanged shapes having trussed or open web portions formed integrally with the flanges or margins. In rolling such structural shapes the Web portions, (which I may be in the formof tie members) are most readily'madeof uniform'strength and are equally spaced lengthwise of the shape.

' 5 Such structural .shapes,-if loaded to their maximum carrying capacity, are likely to collapse at their ends where they are supported unless thefends are braced in such a manner as to reenforce the adjacent ties 1924. Serial No. 705,0!78.

ing forces. e0.

llhe particular embodiment ofthe invention selected for illustration herein and shown in the drawings comprises a principal member and stiffeners, more especially such as are adapted for reenforcing the ends'of lattice-web structural shapes, although they may be applied to intermediate points. Other shapes and forms of stifl'eners are contemplated. V w

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the invention is embodied in a trussed I-beam having flanges 12 connected by angularly disposed lattice or web members 13 formed integrally with the flanges by any suitable process of manufacture. Each end of the beam is strengthened by securing thereto suitable stiffeners or reenforcement, such as the flanged hollow T-plates 14:, which may be pressed from sheet metal and are preferablydisposed astride of the flanges and engaging thereunder and on opposite sides of the Web members of the beam at its ends. Preferably'the outerends of the hollow T- .plates project beyond the ends of the beam and are pressed together and spot welded i or otherwise'secured so as to prevent telescoping them too farover the end portions of the beam as hereinafter described, and to give them additional strength in resisting possible torsional stresses. v

Intermediate 'points may be likewise strengthened by similar plates spanningthe 'space between two or more panel points, i. e., points at whikh the web members intersect the top and bottom flangespr chord members, andmay bedisposed uponeitheror both of the beam flanges, with their horizontal-legs 15 out-turned, whereby they lend themselves readily for the support or attachment of other portions of a building or structure.

The preferred manner of securing the T- plates to the web portions of the beam is'by clips 16, which embrace the horizontal legs '15 and arebent over the edges of the latter to hold them in place, as shown in Fig. 3;

although any suitable means for attaching The clips 16 are preferably shaped sothat they may be applied in the field with a hammer or other suitable tool, as illustrated in Fig. 5, thereby permitting the beams to be cut to length and end or intermediate stiffeners attached at the place of use without requiring expensive equipment for this purpose. I

The horizontal legs of the plates 14 afford wide supports for the ends of the beam and ma be punched with holes 19 for securin 13 em to the supporting structure by bofis, rivets or other usual standard forms of construction; and similarly they may be utilized to support minor portions of the floor system or other parts of the structure. Any free end portions of incomplete tie members at the ends of the beam may advantageously be removed to avoid interference with portions of the supporting structure. A

The stiffener members not only strengthen the ends and critical points of the beam or other element to, enable it to carry its ma'ximum load with safety, but enable standard forms of connections with other portions of the structure to be utilized, which could not otherwise be connected to the. narrow flanges and light tie members charac-' teristic of beams of the open web type. The end supports'afl'ordecl by the T-plates are wide and are located preferably above the central axis of the beam, thereby enabling such members to be placed in position for use without temporary bracing to secure them against overturning during erection of the structure. A further advantage cured in place b What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

a l. A rolled shape having an open work web connecting top and bottom flanges and strengthened by longitudinally extending formed plates embracing a flange and semeans passing through the openings in t e web.

2. A rolled shape of the character described having marginal flanges and a Web integral therewith but separated to form connecting tie members, and a self supporting strengthening member embracing a flange and secured to said shape on opposite sides of its web.

3. A rolled shape having flanges con nected by tie members integral therewith forming panels, and formed plates telescoped upon said flanges and spanning one or more panels. I

4. A rolled shape having flanges connected by tie members integral therewith forming panels, and hollow endplates disposed in alinement with one of said flanges and embracing its opposite sides, and clamp ing means for securing said end plates to the adjacent tie members.

5. A rolled shape having an open work web comprisingintegral tie members, and lengthwise extending braces enclosing the upper edge of the shape and clamped to the upper ends of adjacent tie members.

6. Arolled shape having marginal flanges and an open-Work web comprising integral tie members connecting said flanges at spaced points forming panels, and lengthwise extending braces embracing portions of said flanges and the ends of adjacent tie members and having a length greater than the space between adjacent tie members so as 'to span more than one panel, and securing clips for said braces positioned in openings between said tie members and having portions adapted to be bent around the edges of said braces.

7. A rolled shape having an open-work web and continuous top and bottom flanges, and self-positioning braces seated upon one of said flanges at its ends and secured to said shape by clips positioned in openings in said web.

8. A rolled shape having parallel flanges and a web comprising integral, diagonally disposed tie members, and lengthwise extending braces. shaped to embrace one of said flanges telescoped over its ends and means cooperating with the adjacent tie members for securing said braces against lengthwise displacement, said braces having horizontally disposed portions constitutmg supports.

9. A rolled shape having parallel flanges and a web comprising integral, diagonally disposed tie members, and lengthwise extending braces shaped'to embrace one of said flanges telescoped over its ends and means cooperating with the adjacent tie members for securing said braces against lengthwise displacement, sald means bemg detachable for attaching and removing'said braces to suit the conditions of use.

10, A rolled shape having top and bcttom flanges 12 and an open-work web 13,

and provided with stiifeners 14 of hollow T-shape having out-turnedlegs 15 te1e sc0ped upon the ends of a flange 12 and secured in place by clips 16 passing through openings in the web and embracing the outer edges of the legs.

In testimonyvwhereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

' J. EDMUND TONNELIER. 

